Boston's BLOOD RESULTS

Member Stories Lab Tests
#1

Please see the attached WORD DOCUMENT. Tell me if there is a problem opening it. I would appreciate any knowledgable comments. I have no idea what to make of any of this. Thanks. Boston
blood results 3-9-07.doc (36 KB)

#2

Boston,

These are the things I noticed, all out of range:

Albumin - 4.9 (3.4-4.8 g/dL)
Free T - 6.0 (8.8-27.0 pg/mL)
SHBG - 65 (5-49 NMOL/L)
DHT- 82 (25-75 ng/dL)

Both high Albumin and SHBG can bind up Testosterone, leaving you with a low Free T level. Looks like that could be what’s happening here.

Your Total T level is in the lower 3rd of the range (Total T - 379 (280-800 ng/dL), similar to where I was when I came off (got tested at 3 months off, total T was 388)

Your DHT although HIGH, is out of the range, perhaps due to you just discontinuing the drug and having a flood of DHT come back into your system since you’d been repressing it with Fin.

Your Estradiol at 18 (8-45 pg/mL) is good.
Your LH at 4.3 (2-10 mIU/mL) is decent.
Your Prolactin is low at 4.8 (4-15 ng/mL) so doesn’t look like that could be causing problems (high Prolactin can inhibit T)
Your FSH at 10 (2-12 mIU/mL) is high but likely doubt that’s an issue, you’re probably producing buckets of sperm.
Liver enzymes are fine.

Based on all that, my layman’s guess is:

  • SHBG/Albumin binding up your free T, giving you low Free T

  • Theory: A high level of DHT in your blood (although good for libido, etc) may potentially reduce Total T production, since the body may sense there’s too much DHT and thus reduce the source (Testosterone)… this is just my personal pet theory though, haven’t done the research to verify if this is possible.

I’d look at ways of reducing your SHBG/Albumin… there are natural supplements such as Muira Puama, Avena Sativa and Nettles (also a DHT inhibitor) which claim to reduce SHBG, as well as drugs as per Hypo’s posts (supposedly Danazol, although that was brought into question by Jim1234)…

As with any of this, research and talk to your doctor, particularly if you plan on trying further drug treatments. I’m certainly no medical expert and can only give you my observations as a guy that has read a decent amount of studies…

#3

Ouch!!

Your total T is lowish, but even worse is your free T. Its very low!
Clearly it is caused by your extremly high SHBG. I think this is a clear case for our friend hypo to help you out. He knows how to deal with high SHBG.

At least you have good DHT, your 5AR seems to be working fine.

Depending on your symptoms, I think a decent treament with TRT and somethig to keep your SHBG down will improve your health.

JH

#4

Cool,
I wonder if anything could have been affected by the fact I hadn’t eaten for three days prior to testing. ?

/// I had been on 60 oz./day of liquid only -The Master Cleanse- (10 oz. water / 2Tblsp organic lemon juice / 2Tblsp organic maple syrup / pinch of cayenne) thats all, and ended up doing it for eight days… but thats beside the point… ///

thank you for any more opinions.

I have an appointment with a urologist, and then directly after with my endo this coming Monday morning, so I am anxious to hear what he will suggest to get rid of this pain and discomfort. I will listen to what he has to say. He has a good reputation I believe. I might also bring him this thread for added consideration, in case he is curious to hear what some of you guys who’ve been studying this specific situation in depth for many years think (post-finasteride problems).

Thanks a lot.
B

#5

Maybe you could tell us about your symptoms?

JH

#6

This was my latest post from a day ago on symptoms.
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewt … =1468#1468
any opinions?

#7

I’ll get one things out of the way

Albumin is high but it only weakly binds testosterone and is not anything like as important as SHBG when considering a lack of free testosterone and androgen status. High albumin can sometimes be as simple as not drinking enough water and indicate dehydration.

Now to the real issues….

Likely hypogonadism if you only consider total testosterone

Unequivocal hypogonadism if you consider the free testosterone result.

Some commercial free testosterone assays are not that reliable, so I thought I would look at your situation via some standard old calculated free testosterone methods. They are also far from perfect but if they all point in the same direction then that would be pretty conclusive.

So here goes…

Your Calculated free testosterone result is;

4.60ng/dl = 1.21% That is low.

Your FAI (Free Androgen Index result is;

20.1

The FAI is unitless and anything below 70 can account for hypogonadal symptoms, below 60 symptoms are typical. Your level s three times lower than that.

Unequivocally high SHBG is very likely to be the cause for the very low free testosterone level.

If your SHBG was normal your free testosterone would undoubtedly be higher. Whether it would be high enough with that level of total testosterone is something you could only find out by having your SHBG level lowered with appropriate medication.

You need an endocrine appointment with a forward thinking endocrinologist who understands the issues involved here. I would suggest Dr Shippen.

It maybe that Danazol can reduce the SHBG, increase your free testosterone level and get you back on your feet. If not it could be a case of traditional TRT in a high enough dosage to overcome the amount bound by SHBG and increase free testosterone. I am guessing the former would be the first appropriate step, but that is something for the endocrinologists to decide.

P.S

I think the responses you have had have been excellent and certainly you should take on board all opinions.

#8

Most likely, yes. I have read posts of guys over on Meso who went on TRT and had their sensitivity return.

I am currently in the same boat, my penis is nowhere near as sensitive as it was before fin… almost like the nerves in the skin/scrotum have died… it just feels numb, like when you wake up in bed to find no circulation in your arm in the morning.

#9

Hypo, or Everyone else who knows,

Based on the results of my last blood test, which things do I definately need to be tested for again (on April 9th)? besides of course T and free T.

Here’s the story: I went to see a urologist (first appointment) right before my follow-up, to discuss my blood results, with my endo.

The Uro said, although free T was low, in some people this can sometimes be lower than the average guy, and then if fin just pushed it a little lower, then compounded by the fact that I hadn’t eaten in three days and was quite depressed, maybe this caused it to read so low. He said to give it a few more weeks before we do anything, and he would take my blood on April 9th to look, before we consider anything such as TRT.

My Endo on the other hand, an hour later, went over my blood results with me. I think he pointed out the same thing about my high SHBG and FSH and of course low T levels, and immediately was saying try this Androgel for a month, and if it works, I can prescribe it for another month, if it doesn’t, I don’t know anything else we can do.

But I’ve just been reading about TRT a little, and am still not sure if this could hurt me if I decide to resort to it too early, or could there really be no harm in trying it, and could it just help jump-start my system back into action?
Anyway, I am trying to work out with short, heavy, intensive lifts about three-four times a week, and trying to get more active, and move around more, and eat better.

So again, my Uro said wait till my next round of tests, so I haven’t filled the Androgel prescription yet.

Again,
Based on the results of my last blood tests, which things do I definately need to be tested for again (on April 9th)? besides of course T and free T.

Thanks again guys. I hope this saves my life.

B

#10

I think your results would warrent the lowering of SHBG first to see if you can produce enough of your own free testosterone to feel well.

I think testosterone replacement should only be tired if the above has been tried and failed.

The problem is that even if you add more testosterone, so much of it will to some degree still be bound by the high SHBG level.

#11

Is there any natural way to lower SHBG?

Or what is the Danazol (sp?)or sumthin, how can I get that? And can that be harmful? I will try to look it up.

So for my next blood tests I better get:
-Total T
-Free T
and
-SHBG

at least…

Thanks Hypo

#12

To reduce SHBG with Naturals, try:

  • Avena Sativa (green oat extract)
  • Nettles (also a DHT inhibitor)
  • Muira Puama

72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:Csz … cd=9&gl=ca

Take it for what its worth… haven’t tried any of these myself so can’t speak to their efficacy.

#13

No proven worth of any of these natural products. Also with SHBG that high you need something that is seriously going to bring SHBG to heel.

#14

Does SHBG still need to be tested when Free T is tested, or does Free T take into account SHBG?

#15

SHBG should ALWAYS be tested.

Not only can it sometimes help to indicate other problems, but at it is also important in respect of estradiol and DHT.

#16

I have a question guys.
Is it common for all these blood tests I have the results for here to cost $2,200…???
My health insurance company has sent me a letter asking me to call them, stating they can not pay this claim!!! What should I say? Its student health insurance. What do I need to tell them?
btw, if any of you are quick with this sort of thing, this is a link to the claims brochure. I wonder which category this would fall under to get coverage, because i may have to present an argument. Thank you for your help if you guys might have any good advice. This may save me, as I need this health insurance coverage, and for it to also cover my next round of testing… Omg!
universityhealthplans.com/br … hool_id=74

Boston

#17

Boston I don’t see a link to your health brochure. But one thing I would look at is what do they cover for womens health issues. I have a feeling they would cover this if it was a womens reproductive issue. They even cover birth control pills.

#18

oops…

#19

apparently health insurance ended up covering it in the end… :slight_smile:

now I just hope they cover a few more :confused:

#20

NEW BLOOD RESULTS!

Legend,

why, do you have experience with, or have you seen results with TRT ??
I thought TRT can actually then cause testicles to shut down endigenous production of T even more, and can be bad in the long run…? Or do you have another argument for taking it?

See, as of late I just found out my FSH levels are now “low” and NOT high anymore like they were apparently before (weird??), so anyway, considering this, now wouldn’t this be a case for HCG treatment as per Shippen’s protocol…?
or I wonder if I should just wait it out a little longer still?? I just got new blood tests on April 9th and I also guess SHBG has lowered to about 41 now.

Thanks guys!

B